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I was having an argument with myself (I don't have many friends) the other night and I won, but the other me wants to know whether or not I was right.

Take for example Mario Götze or David Silva. Both are terrific players with a creativity that is hard to match on the football field. But... give them a clean shot on goal and they will must likely bottle it. I'm not saying they don't score any goals because they do, but I mean, the amount of quality chances they end up in are quite many and not so many result in goals. When it comes to Silva for example, it almost seems he's a better goal scorer when he doesn't have time to think.

So, this lack of composure can be found on all levels. My opinion is that it's not something a players grows out of. Once a bottler, always a bottler. What's your opinion?

I agree that instinct and composure are two important factors when it comes to being a good goals scorer.
But you can't take confidence out of the equation.

There are plenty of players out there who have gone from top of the range goalscorers to fluffers or the other way around.
Just look at our country man, Marcus Berg. he was shooting them in for fun and all of a sudden he just lost it...

Silva as you say is the most obvious example. Don't know why but he's such a poor finisher usually.

mr_nool wrote:I agree that instinct and composure are two important factors when it comes to being a good goals scorer.
But you can't take confidence out of the equation.

There are plenty of players out there who have gone from top of the range goalscorers to fluffers or the other way around.
Just look at our country man, Marcus Berg. he was shooting them in for fun and all of a sudden he just lost it...

Yeah but losing the ability is not what I'm talking about here. Berg is a very good example of a player that "lost" it and might one day get it back. However, I'm talking about players that has never had instinct and composure.

I agree about Silva but not about Gotze.

Id say that Torres has become quite the bottler.

Not really seen that much of them recently but all the dipper strikers have last seasons record I think for hitting the post the most.That for me puts them up there.

Suarez

There's a classic example over here for the Roar, massimo murdocca never ever scores when through.

Can't remember too many players for city having that issue, but silva is a definite shout.

I'd say Zabs.

..

Walcott panics when near the goal.

Thing is Silva doesn't seem to bottle it when in the same situations for Spain

Vassell always bottled it when he had too long to think about what he was meant to be doing

Don't think Silva 'bottles it' it's more his natural instinct is to give the ball to a striker. Tevez would shoot from 45 yds rather than pass, Silva would pass from 4.5" rather than shoot.

Torres and Fowler are/were great examples of players who lost it. Flash a ball across them and they were both liable to volley it straight in. Make them run 2 yds and they go to bits. And once it's gone I'm not sure it ever comes back.

Blue Since 76 wrote:Don't think Silva 'bottles it' it's more his natural instinct is to give the ball to a striker. Tevez would shoot from 45 yds rather than pass, Silva would pass from 4.5" rather than shoot.

Torres and Fowler are/were great examples of players who lost it. Flash a ball across them and they were both liable to volley it straight in. Make them run 2 yds and they go to bits. And once it's gone I'm not sure it ever comes back.

Disagree, Silva's a poor finisher. It's not about wanting to pass,it's just he misses lots of very good chances.

This is a great topic because there is no easy answer to this. it's all about circumstances & how you rate players.

Imo, some of the best finishers & high ranking goalscorers are bottlers. Some of the best goalscorers & the most nerveless players I've ever seen are not technically great finishers.

Ian Wright was one of the best finishers & the best goalscorers I ever saw but watch some of his efforts v the rags & it's pathetic. His arse went completely. He knew he was playing them & it fucked him up, same when you put an England shirt on him. Then look at the Goat's efforts v the rags & Uwe Rosler. Different class.

So there's my controversial choice: Ian Wright. The current Premier League is full of them. Aguero imo, misses loads but is NEVER a bottler, same with Tevez. Dzeko & Balotelli are ice when it suits them & go to pieces when it doesn't, same with Rooney.

Gratuitous Goat mention: the goal he scored v Blackburn away, in the promotion decider, just put him down as an all time great City goalscorer imo. It was easy sure, but it was coming accross him, & bouncing upwards when he hit it. I've seen so many world class players miss those & worse when the pressure is on, but he was almost smiling before the ball reached him.

God blessim. Balls of steel.

Edit, Aguero's goal to win the title of course is the coolest moment of all time.

Antoine Sibierski always seemed to get in the right place and then head it against the bar.

Pretty Boy Lee wrote:There's a classic example over here for the Roar, massimo murdocca never ever scores when through.

Can't remember too many players for city having that issue, but silva is a definite shout.

Jon Macken.

Nicholas Anelka was a great example of doing all the hard work and then fucking up what seemed to be some really easy chances, especially 1-on-1's.

surprised no-one's mentioned de Gea

Tevez seems to have his habit of going from bottler to clinical finisher over the course of a season. I thought this season might be an exception but then the game last night proved that old habits die hard.